Game apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT D. DEXTER, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,818, dated December 13, 1898.

Application filed April 18, 1 898.

To ctZZ whom it may concern: Y

, Be it known that I, MERRITT D. DEXTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and contemplates the provision of a set of dominoes by which any card game may be played, the said set consisting of four groups or suits of thirteen dominoes each, the dominoes of each group or suit being provided on their playing-surfaces with from one to thirteen of the'conventional dots and the dots of each group being differently colored from those of the other groups or suits, whereby the groups or suits are distinguished each from the other.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which Figures 1, 2, 3, and at are plan views of the four suits or groups comprised in my improved set of dominoes.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A B O D designate the four groups or suits of my improved set of dominoes. These groups or. suits are similar with the exception of the color of the dots of their respective dominoes, and therefore a description of the suit or group A (shown in Fig. 1) will suffice for all. Said group or suit A comprises thirteen dominoes B, formed by blocks a, of wood or other suitable material, and bearing on their playing-surfaces from one to thirteen, re-' spectively, of the conventional dots c. The three dominoes bearing eleven, twelve, and thirteen dots c are designed to represent the jack, queen, and king, respectively, of one suit of playing-cards, while the domino bearing one dot represents the ace and the others represent the low cardsi. 6., the deuce, tray, and so on, up to the ten-spot.

The colors of the dots on the dominoes comprised in the four suits or groups A B O D are different in order to distinguish the dominoes of each group or suit from those of the Serial No. 678,023. (no model.)

other groups. For instance, the dots of group A may be green, those of group B orange, those of group O purple, and those of group D white. For the purpose of making this difference in the color of the dots of the several groups plain in the drawings the dots of each group are differently lined, as will be readily observed.

The difference in the colors of the dots clearly distinguishes each group or suit from the others and enables two, three, or more players to play without inconvenience or hesitancy any game that can be played with ordinary cards, the four suits or groups with dots of different colors representing the diamond, heart, club, and spade suits of ordi nary playing-cards. WVhile this is so it will be observed that my improved set of domi noes. bear nothing more than the conven= tional dots and are in no way suggestive of playing-cards, against which there is a strong 7o prejudice in many localities. It will also be observed that it is only necessary for a card-- player to know that the eleven, twelve, and

' thirteen dot dominoes represent jacks, queens,-

and kings, respectively, in order to enable him to play a card game as readily with the dominoes as with playing-cards.

The set of dominoes or pieces is adapted to be used to play card-games and is also adapted to be used in whole or part to play 'domi- 8o noes. To this latter end the configuration of the dots of the several suits is the same as illustrated. In addition to these advantages it will be observed that the dominoes are much more durable than playing-cards and will last for an indefinite length of time.

I am well aware that it is old in playing cards to dispense with picture or court cards-- 1'. e., knaves, queens, and kings-and substitute for them, respectively, eleven, twelve, and thirteen spot cards. I therefore make no claim to the same.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

The herein-described set of dominoes consisting essentially of four groups or suits of thirteen dominoes each; the dominoes of each suit being provided on their faces with from one to thirteen similarlymolored clots, the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set configuration of the dots of the several groups my hand in presence of two subscribing Witor suits being the same, and the colors of the nesses.

dots of the several groups or suits being dif- MERRITT D. DEXTER. 5 ferent each from the other whereby said lVitnesses:

groups or suits are distinguished, substan- JOHN STILLI' tially as specified. MARGARET STILLE. 

